A More Subdued Bill?

Asked about her husband's tamer style in the days since her defeat in South Carolina -- he has not publicly digressed in at least three days -- Clinton seemed to suggest that she is encouraging a new focus on the issues in her campaign. Notably, she did not knock back a direct query about whether she had asked the former president to tone it down.

"Well, I'm very proud of his promoting my candidacy, and I'm very happy that he is able to travel as widely as he has been, along with my daughter," Clinton said. "But this is my campaign. It is about my candidacy, what I want to do for America. It's about the future, as every election is about the future. And I want to keep it focused on what I offer to the country -- very specific ideas that I put forth."

Of course, in saying as much, Clinton was echoing famous words of her husband's -- during his presidency's roughest times, he repeatedly returned to the theme that governing is about the people. With that in mind, the Clinton campaign is about to announce a national town hall meeting, to further emphasize its populist touch.